


Hold Me so that I may Hide your Heart

by Innocentfighter



Series: Inquisitor Alessandra Cousland, Hero of Ferelden [8]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Post-Dragon Age: Inquisition Quest - Here Lies the Abyss, Pre-Relationship, Protectiveness, Sibling Love, Warden Inquisitor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 04:12:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16967433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Innocentfighter/pseuds/Innocentfighter
Summary: Perhaps nothing is as painful as waiting. Hazel is just grateful everyone she cares about has made it through the day.





	Hold Me so that I may Hide your Heart

**Author's Note:**

> I think Hazel and Ally are starting to be foils to each other. Hmm.Or they always have been and I'm just now noticing.

“Hazel!”

Hazel lifts her head from her brother, the medics are working on the wound on his side. One of the mages versed in healing magic is already spinning spells. She scans the soldiers, all a little dazed from the battle, and finally spots the person calling for her. Cullen is rushing towards her, expertly weaving through the troops that didn’t have enough sense to get out of the way.

“Hazel,” he says again when they’re close enough to make eye contact.

“Cullen,” she breathes, “you’re alive.”

He chuckles roughly, “I should be saying that to you.”

“I am fine,” she grins, “surprisingly uninjured.”

“I’m,” Cullen stops, “that is good.”

She glances back to her brother and Cullen follows her gaze. He looks at her alarmed, “is he?”

Hazel widens her stance, “he’ll live. He’ll scar, but he’ll live.”

Cullen’s shoulders drop, “good. Our losses seem minimal, comparatively.”

She looks past his shoulders and the moves to pull him out of the way. Dorian dashes through the spot Cullen had just been in, and skids on his knee. Hazel is surprised at how willingly Cullen moved under her touch, but she sends him a sheepish smile.

“Perhaps we can talk later?” Hazel tilts her head, “there’s still a lot we can do before we rest.”

Cullen leans forward and Hazel notes that it’s still within a casual distance, “stop by my tent later.”

Under normal circumstances that would have sent a thrill through her, but Cullen being beyond a perfect gentleman and she expects tonight will be no different. She watches him go and frowns when he keeps turning back towards her. Hazel shrugs and turns back to Dorian and Arthur, Dorian seems like he’s on the verge of a panic attack, so she crouches.

“He’s alive, Dorian,” she says, “he’ll live.”

“Of course, he’ll live,” Dorian says shortly.

Hazel ignores the tone, “his wound will be sealed in a few minutes, and within days he’ll be back to trailing you like a puppy.”

Dorian lets out a long breath, “perhaps you should comfort the commander.”

“What do you mean?” Hazel purses her lips.

“He was practically radiating anxiety until he saw you,” Dorian partially smirks.

“Was he?” Hazel turns in the direction that Cullen disappeared too, “he seemed fine.”

“Yes, but you weren’t left behind.”

This time Hazel did react to that tone, “what do you mean?”

“You, the Inquisitor, Arthur, Hawke,” Dorian lists, “you all fell and then you vanished. We thought you had died until you ran into the courtyard.”

Hazel hadn’t thought about what it would have appeared like to those not directly involved. She couldn’t put the picture of a frantic Cullen in her mind, or rather a Cullen that was frantic about _her._ There were the kisses on the battlements, but nothing beyond that.

“Believe me,” Dorian says and looks down at Arthur, “he was terrified.”

* * *

> **Codex Entry: Family Concerns**
> 
> _I wonder if mother would approve of Cullen. He is a Templar but of common birth_ and _Ferelden_. _Not that I care much about mother’s approval, but it would be nice. She’ll pitch less of a fit with me. She tries to fight with Arthur about Dorian, now and all she knows of him is that he’s a mage. Mother will be cross when she realizes Dorian is a Tevinter of all things._
> 
> _I suppose wondering about familial approval means I’m more involved in this courting that I had thought. Not that Cullen has given any of the proper gifts or any gifts. Customs say I can’t begin to court until the first gift is given, but perhaps I can make the decision for us._
> 
> _There’re rumors that Ally is excellent at embroidery, while odd, is helpful. I am sure I can find a subtle enough cloth for a token. Hm, I wonder if Dorian will give the token or if it will be Arthur. My guess is neither, considering they can’t decide if they want to court or not._
> 
> _Boys, honestly._
> 
> _How does Ally handle her husband so well… if it is the truth that she has one._

* * *

Arthur was safely out of danger, and Dorian was keeping watch over him. If something were to happen she would know, but she needed to speak to Cullen. Dorian’s words were still bouncing around her head. Most of the soldiers ignored her as she moved towards the command tent. Strangely enough, Ally wasn’t moving around the troops like she usually did. Not that Hazel blames her after the day they’ve had. It was possibly the hardest battle they’ve had to date, and they _just_ saved the Empress from an assassination attempt.

Hazel dips her head in greeting at the scout leaving the command tent, “is he alone?”

“Yes, Lady Trevelyan,” the scout quickly moves away.

She wrinkles her nose at the title, but quickly masks her face. Hazel slips through the open flap. Cullen is staring down at a report and doesn’t glance up. For a second, she sees how tired he looks, there are bags under his eyes and his skin is waxy and gray. She clears her throat.

Cullen jumps up in surprise, “I’m sorry I was- Hazel?”

Hazel smiles, “it’s been a long day for all of us.”

“That it has,” Cullen sighs, “how’s Arthur?”

“Healing. Dorian is with him now,” Hazel moves closer.

“That’s good,” Cullen runs a hand over his face.

“How are you?”

There’s a beat of silence and Cullen stands, “I am doing better.”

They met each other's eyes. Hazel wasn’t entirely sure what she should say. Dorian could have been wrong in his assumption, distracted by his own feelings and fears about Arthur. She leaned back, not enough to be obvious but it comforted her.

“When you vanished,” Cullen blurts and it seems to surprise him, “when you vanished I thought that it was done.”

“I’m alive,” she says softly.

Cullen shakes his head, “but I didn’t know that.”

“Cullen,” Hazel steps forward and places her hand on his face.

He leans into the touch, “Hazel, I was afraid.”

She closes her eyes briefly, “demons and the thought of a demon army are often terrifying.”

“Well, yes,” Cullen frowns, “but that isn’t what caused my greatest fear.”

For both of their sakes, she needed to pull away from this conversation. Cullen was vulnerable now, and it wouldn’t be a favor to let him continue to speak like this. To Hazel it would be a betrayal, “I’m alive. The day is over. Corypheus lost.”

Cullen pulls the hand from his face and presses his lips to the palm, “and I am immeasurably grateful for that.”

**Author's Note:**

> As always leave your thoughts below.


End file.
